section f Landscape Patterns Prairie Trail and Polk County, Iowa Iowa was once a land covered by vast prairies. While thick woodlands bor- dered the many rivers and streams and covered much of Iowa, prairies still dominated the landscape. Prairie grasses and flowers covered approximately 85 percent of Iowa. Today, Polk County’s landscape consists of rolling farm 2007 urban design associates fields that have replaced the once dominant prairie, wooded stream corridors, © and wetlands. Well-kept farm houses with their kitchen gardens dot the land- Typical Iowa front yard landscape scape, surrounded by cultivated fields, prairie remnants, and streams and wet- lands. It is this image, the tradition of the western American farm that Prairie Trail intends to capture. Historical precedents of the area emphasize a variety of architectural styles in the neighboring communities that utilize both traditional and non- Typical neighborhood street traditional landscape elements. Prairie Trail will enhance much of this charac- ter by conserving open space, woodlands, and waterways within and around the new neighborhoods. With conservation as a foundation and with a com- Picket fence with ornamental planting munity framework of simple streets and blocks set around greenspaces remi- niscent of meadows, Prairie Trail will be a unique and environmentally sensitive community. Front yard planting and fence Image showing public open space with waterway Typical Iowa streetscape View of the existing site View of a typical farm in Iowa Landscape Character of Polk County landscape patterns f 1 Polk County Legacy Polk County, with its diverse communities, provides a varied palette of land- scaping ranging from prairie grasses, wildflowers, hedges, and mature hard- woods to a layering of shrubs, groundcovers and flowering perennials. Lots within these towns address the street in a variety of ways, which allows for a 2007 urban design associates continuous yet wide-ranging pedestrian experience through the neighbor- © hoods. Private yards are delineated by wood and iron fences, intricate gates, and arbors. Beyond them, lush private gardens and courtyards provide privacy from the busy streets and transitions to the greenways beyond. These gardens of varying sizes are popular and found in rural settings as well as the densest of neighborhoods. Prairie Trail will incorporate rich landscape materials when addressing the public and private realm. The use of native plant species will be of vital importance as this neighborhood develops adjacent to its various greenways dedicated to sustainability and conservation. Images of typical yard landscape elements and streetscaping of Polk County Landscape Precedents of Polk County landscape patterns f 2 Landscape Types The landscape patterns for Prairie Trail illustrate the methods by which to plan and further enhance a new community with natural elements, appropri- ate for the region. Proper planting and water management will contribute to both the desirability and livability of the new community. 2007 urban design associates There are four landscape types for Prairie Trail: stream and wetlands, © neighborhood, commercial and civic. This section outlines the elements of the public realm, as well as the street character of the neighborhood. The section also illustrates the relationship between public and private spaces, landscaping for individual lots based on architectural style, and planting guidelines for all portions of an individual lot. After defining these landscape guidelines, the section outlines ecologically-conscious practices, highlighted to help individ- ual lot owners choose a more sustainable lifestyle for themselves and the com- munity of Prairie Trail. This section ends with a Native and Ornamental Plant Palette for individual lot landscaping within the Prairie Trail neighbor- hoods. Stream & Wetland Landscape Civic Landscape Neighborhood Landscape Commercial Landscape Enhanced waterway near commercial district Landscape of commercial district Precedent image of neighborhood landscape Existing landscape of Prairie Trail Prairie Trail Landscape Types landscape patterns f 3 Public Edge Treatments The definition of public and private landscape zones is an important element in any community. In Prairie Trail, residential lots comprise the private land- scape zones. The edges will be defined following the rich traditions found in neighboring communities. The use of hedges, picket fences, curb walls, plant- 2007 urban design associates ings, and piers will provide a simple articulation of these edges. Additionally, © some lots may be required to provide rear yard fencing or hedgerows. Lots with required fences in front or side yards Lots with required front yard hedgerows (4’ height maximum) Lots with required rear yard fencing or hedgerows Images of transitional plantings and public and private fencing edge treatments Public and Private Space Relationship landscape patterns f 4 Public Realm Landscape Elements Prairie Trail’s public realm will be defined through the use of rustic and simple landscape elements native to Polk County. Streets will be marked with stone piers, etched with neighborhood names. Wood and iron fencing and hedgerows will line the street edges in critical areas.The fencing may incorporate post lighting and will 2007 urban design associates eventually transition into a more ornamental picket fence within Prairie Trail’s © neighborhoods and on individual lots.These simple landscape elements will define the street edges as well as provide a rich vocabulary for the public realm. The following is a list of recommended street trees for the Prairie Trail neighborhood. While the final streetscape constcuction documents will specify a specific street tree variety for each street in order to create a unique character and scale, the overall collective streetscape plantings throughout the neighborhood will have a diverse range of tree types. Additionally, each park or public open space component will have a native planting palette that complements the streetscape plantings and ensures variety and species distribution. Precedent images of piers marking streets, traditional ornamental picket and iron fencing, streetscape Prairie Trail Street Trees plantings, decorative paving, and post lighting for the neighborhood realm COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Autumn Blaze Maple Acer x freemani A, SH-FS Black Maple Acer nigrum A, SH-FS Red Maple Acer rubrum W-A, SH-FS Sugar Maple Acer saccharum A, SH-FS River Birch Betula nigra W-D, FS Common Hackberry Celtis occidentalis A-D, FS Thornless Honeylocust Gledistia triacanthos inermis W-D, SH-FS Swamp White Oak Quercus bicolor W-D, FS Northern Red Oak Quercus borealis A, SH- FS American Linden Tilia americana A, SH- FS Silver Linden Tilia tomentosa A, SH-FS KEY D Thrives in dry, well-drained soils – drought-tolerant Elevation illustrating stone piers marking streets, post lighting, and hedgerows and traditional ornamental picket fencing for the neighborhood realm A Prefers moist, well drained soils W Thrives in wet environment – tolerates poorly drained soils SH Thrives in light or partial shade FS Thrives in full sun Public Realm Landscape Elements landscape patterns f 5 Street Character The typical character of Prairie Trail streets will draw on the character of the most respected streets in Polk County communities. The street patterns will align themselves with the inherent landscape features of the site. Greenways will be natural in character with narrow cartways, uniform tree lines, and with 2007 urban design associates varying naturalistic and ornamental plantings. Neighborhood streets will have © sidewalks, at a minimum, on one side of the street with grass verges and tree planting. Other streets might border a park or a preserved vegetation area and VARIES 1' 5' 9' 7' 22' 9' 8' 1' VARIES 29'- 36' have a sidewalk on only one side. Simple landscape elements will define the ROW Varies edges of the street rights-of-way, and will include hedgerows, fences and low stone walls. This section illustrates a typical Prairie Trail road with a sidewalk on one side and greenspace on the other. Precedent images of the street landscape character of surrounding neighborhoods VARIES 1' 5' 8' 7' 10' 10' 8' 5' 1' VARIES VARIES 5' 50' 5' VARIES 55' ROW This section illustrates a typical Prairie Trail road with sidewalks on both sides and varying setbacks. This section illustrates a typical mews with sidewalks on both sides and varying setbacks. The dimensions shown are for illustrative purposes and may vary. Landscape Character of Prairie Trail Streets landscape patterns f 6 Signage Development Guidelines These guidelines apply to all new signs for Prairie Trail for both new building construction as well as renovation. All signs are to appear as an integral or architectural component of the building they advertise and should provide information without producing visual clutter or distraction. 2007 urban design associates © Purpose Regulations • Enhance the appearance of the Com- • Number of Signs: For each business, munity, reduce visual clutter, and pro- a maximum of one wall sign, two win- mote the recreational value of pubic dow signs, and either one awning sign activities and the economic develop- or one projecting sign or one ground ment of the community sign shall be permitted for each facade • Provide an environment that will pro- of a structure facing a street. mote proper growth and development • Wall signs shall be two square feet in of business and industry. area